Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42444398›Full record

ArticleFEBS open bio2026

Structural studies and functional engineering of NanX: an anhydro-sialic acid transporter from Escherichia coli.

Michael C Newton-Vesty, Kelsi R Hall, Zachary D Tillett, Liam S Turk, James S Davies, Michael J Currie, Hamish G Brown, Sepideh Valimehr, Peter D Mace, Andrew E Whitten and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in FEBS open bio, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

14 authors.

Michael C Newton-VestyBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Kelsi R HallBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Zachary D TillettBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Liam S TurkBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9820-652X
James S DaviesBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Michael J CurrieBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.
Hamish G BrownIan Holmes Imaging Centre, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
Sepideh ValimehrIan Holmes Imaging Centre, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5845-8100
Peter D MaceBiochemistry Department, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2175-9537
Andrew E WhittenAustralian Centre for Neutron Scattering (ACNS), Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), Lucas Heights, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8856-3120
Santosh PanjikarAustralian Synchrotron, ANSTO, Clayton, Australia.
Eric HanssenIan Holmes Imaging Centre, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Australia.
Rachel A NorthSchool of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5011-1567
Renwick C J DobsonBiomolecular Interaction Centre, School of Biological Sciences, MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5506-4939

Funding

Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering Postgraduate Research AwardBiomolecular Interaction Centre, University of CanterburyMarsden Fund UOC1506Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment UOCX1706University of Canterbury Aho Hīnātore | Accelerator PhD Scholarship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

NanT and NanX are bacterial transporters that import the sialic acids, N-acetylneuraminate and 2,7-anhydro-n-acetylneuraminate, respectively. Here, we used complementary biophysical and computational approaches to structurally characterise Escherichia coli NanX. Size exclusion chromatography, analytical ultracentrifugation and low-resolution cryo-electron microscopy reveal that NanX exists in both monomeric and dimeric states following purification. Molecular modelling and substrate docking identify key residues likely involved in 2,7-anhydro-n-acetylneuraminate recognition. Using this information, we engineered a mutant NanX transporter that can import the NanT-specific substrate, N-acetylneuraminate, which we verified using a bacterial growth assay. These data identify amino acids involved in major facilitator superfamily mediated sialic acid transport and offer a new research perspective of its metabolism.

Indexed as

Escherichia colimajor facilitator superfamily (MFS) transportersNanTNanXsialic acid

Identifiers

PMID42444398
PMCPMC13398819

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.